What is "Clean Tech" and its economic impact? E2Tech is reaching out to Maine's energy and environmental technology community to assess the sector's value to the Maine economy and to help develop an action-oriented strategic plan to fuel economic development and generate sustainable jobs in the State. At this forum, E2Tech is excited to share two initiatives designed to build and expand the State’s environmental, energy and technology sectors.

1. Todd Gabe and Caroline Noblet from the University of Maine School of Economics will discuss a new report, Maine’s Environmental and Energy Technology Sector: Economic Impact and Recent Growth, which breaks down the growth of the sector between 2006 and the present while emphasizing the competitive challenges ahead. Catherine Renault, Principal of Innovation Policyworks, will examine the production of a diverse range of value-added products, services and processes with an environmental benefit and an eye toward defining “clean tech” in Maine.

2. The Cleantech Open, in partnership with the Maine Technology Institute (MTI), will launch a new Maine partnership to find, fund, and foster clean tech entrepreneurs and start-ups. MTI’sMartha Bentley will explain how Maine businesses will benefit through mentoring and entrepreneur education and financing and visibility opportunities. Cleantech Open is the world's oldest and largest accelerator program for clean tech start-ups.

The University of Maine School of Economics, in partnership with E2Tech and MTI, is conducting a research project to assess opportunities and challenges facing the Clean Technology sector in Maine. We urge you to take a few minutes to complete the survey, which can be found at http://tinyurl.com/Mainecleantech. Survey results will assist industry leaders in developing recommendations and programs to increase competitiveness of the industry.